A tape allegedly showing R Kelly having sex with an underage girl has been unearthed. Attorney Michael Avenatti released a statement explaining that the footage shows Kelly ‘engaging in multiple sexual assaults of a girl underage’.

He adds that the tape is ‘clear’ and runs for 45 minutes. Avenatti said: “Our work has been painstaking, detailed, expensive, and time consuming. Mr Kelly is a predator and a criminal who has preyed on young, vulnerable girls for far too long. The time has come for him to finally be held accountable for his actions.” News outlet CNN say they have seen the tape, and say the girl who appears makes references to her ’14-year-old p***y’. They report that the naked man in the video asks her to urinate, and then afterwards he urinates on her.

Avenatti added that this new tape is not “in connection with the prior criminal matter in which Mr Kelly was charged nor does it depict the same instances of sexual assault”.

Kelly’s lawyer Steve Greenberg said in a statement: “This morning I woke up to reports that a video had surfaced showing R Kelly allegedly with an underage girl. The reports were prompted from a tweet by Michael Avenatti, who himself was the subject of unfavourable news articles just yesterday. Timing is everything. ‘The calls and emails I received were the first I’ve heard of these allegations. I understand that CNN says that they have seen this video. If the video were what it is claimed to be, by sharing it with CNN Mr. Avenatti would be committing a felony, as would the reporter who viewed it. I doubt if either would put themselves in that position. That combined with the other facts that I know lead me to question the reports.

“I have not been contacted by anyone connected with law enforcement, nor has R Kelly. Mr. Kelly denies that he has engaged in any illegal conduct, of any kind whatsoever. He would like to be able to continue to write and sing and produce and perform.

“Unfortunately, as a result of a documentary that regurgitated long ago rejected claims, he has been adjudged guilty in the public eye. In this age of hashtags we are too quick to rush to judgement simply because something is associated with a hashtag. A hashtag does not make claims credible. All of the claims by these women were brought forth years ago, rejected by the police, and/or rejected by the courts, but now for their own gain they have rehashed them. Each of the women in that documentary are out for money, whether they have suddenly filed a lawsuit, they have all of a sudden released their own song, or they have written a book.

“Indeed, some of the women are going on a ‘Surviving R Kelly Tour’, charging for people to hear them speak about their lives. Accuse R Kelly and boom, make a buck. There are three countries in the world where people are presumed guilty, China, North Korea and Myanmar. Unfortunately, that is the standard of justice that is now being applied to R Kelly. In this country people are entitled to presumption of innocence. Absent conclusive evidence, proof beyond reasonable doubt, I would ask that people follow the principles that make this country great. ‘We will have no further comment. Thanks to all his fans and their support. He will continue to work on his album.”